Axe plans for hi-vis and older learners, says RTR

Plans to mandate hi-vis clothing for learners and raise the motorcycle learner permit age to 18 have been slammed by a South Australian rider representative group.

Ride to Review spokesman Tim Kelly (pictured above) says the group has prepared a lengthy submission to the government over new licensing proposals, some of which they agree with and others they oppose.

They also make several counter proposals such as allowing novice riders to lane filter to protect themselves from rear-enders.

They include raising the rider age to 18 and mandating L & P plates, high-vis clothing and a night curfew for novices.

The deadline for public submissions has now passed.

Age limit plans

The Ride to Review submission says there is no research to support plans to increase the age limit for learner riders.

They propose that learner eligibility remain at 16 years “with additional focus on cognitive development and higher-order-thinking skills as part of the training processes”.

Plates and filtering

While the Ride to Review submission agrees with mandatory L and P plates, they say novice riders will be put a greater risk of rear-end collisions in traffic, as they will be ineligible to lane filter if required to display a ‘P’ Plate.

They propose that current lane-filtering legislation be updated to permit riders displaying P plates to filter.

They point to several studies that find no conclusive proof that hi-vis reduces “Sorry Mate I Didn’t See You” (SMIDSY) crashes.

Ride to Review’s submission recommends more comprehensive road craft training for riders to increase their conspicuity on the road.

“Being more aware of other road users’ blind spots in a variety of on-road situations … will provide greater assistance towards motorcyclist conspicuity,” their submission says.

They also recommend that novice motorists be trained to look out for vulnerable road users.

Night curfew

The submission agrees that night time riding poses greater risks, but objects to the proposed midnight to 5am curfew as it does not reflect peak crash times and days.

It posts to Centre for Accident Research & Road Safety – Queensland (CARRS-Q) research that show peak motorcycle crash times are on weekends between 2 and 6pm.

Ride to Review proposes a weekend-only night time curfew with an exemption for riders using a motorcycle for transportation to and from work where public transport is not available.

Full submission

For those interested we have published the full Ride to Review submission to proposed Centre for Automotive Safety Research changes in the motorcycle graduated licensing system (GLS).

It was compiled by the group’s management committee with input from more than 2100 members and supporters, and research from Road Safety, Education and Psychological experts from within Australia, and internationally.